1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for stopping an internal combustion engine and more particularly, for use by persons defending national interests by arresting the advancement of unauthorized vehicles. Stopping of terrorist driven vehicles well in advance of the selected target is of prime interest.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to stop a runaway diesel by introducing a large quantity of either Halon or CO2 into the air intake manifold to replace the combustible air with a non-combustible gas thus smothering the engine. For instance, see the article by Hunter, W., “Run Away Diesel,” MercedesShop, Aug. 14, 2004. Smothering an engine by this method requires close proximity to the intake manifold or an installed system onboard the vehicle that is actuated by the driver. Since the driver of unauthorized vehicle would not desire to stop the engine, any onboard system is of little value. Therefore, there is a great need for an apparatus that discharges a habitable gas in sufficient quantity to arrest the advancement of any vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine in order to provide safety to persons defending national interests.
It is also known to smother a fire in a room with an installed fire suppression system. For instance, see the FE-13, Halon 1301, Inergen or Carbon Dioxide Fire Suppression Systems sold by the Reliable Fire Equipment Company, 12845 South Cicero Ave., Alsip, Ill. 60803-3083. As above, a driver of an unauthorized vehicle will have no interest in stopping the vehicle prior to destruction of the target for which the vehicle is headed. Thus, there is a great need to arrest the advancement of unauthorized vehicles well in advance of the selected target area by stopping the internal combustion engine. Stopping of the engine may be accomplished by deploying a quantity of habitable, but not combustion supporting, gas at an area away from any selected target by hand held means or by a semipermanent installation of discharge nozzles in the path of the vehicle.
It is further known to project a container or capsule of fire suppressant into a fire or in advance of a fire to assist in controlling the spread of a fire or for suppressing the fire. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 1,928,909 issued on 3 Oct. 1933 to Edward J. Reasor wherein bomblets are fired from a cannon into building or see the U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,350 issued on 16 Apr. 1996 to Indru J. Primlani where capsules of carbon dioxide are fired from artillery guns in advance of, and into, a fire to suppress the fire. There is still a need to discharge a sufficient quantity of habitable gas that does not support combustion in an area remote from a desirable target in order to stop the advancement of an unauthorized vehicle toward the target.
Finally, it is known to provide a transportable system for delivering a breathable, fire extinguishing gas to an enclosed fire comprising from about 81 to 88 percent by volume gaseous inert material and from about 5 to about 2 percent carbon dioxide and from about 15 to about 10 percent oxygen. For instance, see the U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0126796 A1 published on 16 Jun. 2005 to Joseph Germano Sant' Angelo. The gases may be separately stored in high pressure vessels or in doers as a liquid, mixed and heated prior to discharging through an extensible conduit, such as a conventional fire hose, to the point of the fire. It is obvious that since the mixture must be delivered to the fire zone by a hose, proximity of personnel to the point of attack is required. Therefore, an apparatus that can deliver a charge of habitable gaseous mixture to a point remote from a desirable target is greatly needed.